About autism

Dear Editor,

After the tragic killing of 26 people at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, plus the crazed gunman's murder of his mother, and his own suicide, the problem of autism is big news.

Experts say that the 20-year-old killer had autism and schizophrenia.

Hans Asperger of Vienna, Austria University Hospital studied problems connected with autism back in 1938. He was investigating ASD, now known as Asperger syndrome. ASD stands for autism spectrum disorder.

People with autism have impaired communication with other persons, don't react well socially and repeat certain actions over and over.

In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 11 children out of 1,000 in the U.S. had autism. Persons with autism have high levels of stress.

Researchers in 2013 now classify Asperger Syndrome as a separate affliction from autism.

People with Asperger Syndrome don't have as much of a delay in language developments.

Parents usually become aware of autistic symptoms in their child when it is time for vaccination for childhood diseases. This led to an incorrect belief that vaccinations caused autism.

Recent studies of adult with autism have shown that they have a weak connection between the frontal lobe and cortex of the brain.

About half of the parents of autistic children notice unusual behavior patters by 18 months. The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders says that 4/5th of autistic children are diagnosed by 24 months of age.

DNA is the same for identical twins. Researchers have discovered gene mutations linked with autism. The January 2012 National Geographic Magazine featured a story about 6-year-old twins, John and Sam. John can barely speak. Sam uses his iPad to research Greek myths. Both have autism.

John had surgery for a heart defect at 31⁄2 months of age and lots of antibiotics. Sam's health has been good. They function at different levels. Sam repeats actions a lot.

A chromosome relationship has been found between autism and schizophrenia.

Helen Ruth Arnold,

Trenton, Nebraska